Gators corner Janoris Jenkins has had success against the SEC's best receivers this season

GAINESVILLE – Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins insists the hype comes from the reporters who write about him, not about his NFL-level play.

Some of the SEC's best receivers might disagree with that, and another is about to find out if the Gators' junior is as good as advertised.

Jenkins will be matched up with South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery when the No. 23 Gamecocks (6-3, 4-3 SEC) face No. 22 Florida (6-3, 4-3) in The Swamp on Saturday. The Gators' best corner has covered each team's best receiver this season, usually with great success.

Alabama's Julio Jones, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, had four catches for 19 yards. Georgia's A.J. Green, widely considered a top-10 draft pick, had four catches for 42 yards.

"Like I said, it's just game. Y'all guys make it the hype. I just go out and play, so it don't matter to me," said Jenkins. "It be exciting cause during the week, you guys hype it up. So it be exciting. I just go out and have fun."

Jenkins says he's not thinking about the NFL now, but draft experts are. Considered a mid-first-round pick by most projections, Jenkins would go with the 15th overall pick in ESPN's Todd McShay's mock draft.

Jenkins' success this season comes after coach Urban Meyer said he was inconsistent at the end of his sophomore season last year.

"He's physical, he's thick. He's got great athleticism," said Meyer. "He understands the game. His anticipation is fantastic, and he's a competitor. Those are all pretty good qualities for a corner."

Jenkins will need all of that against Jeffery, the SEC's leader in receiving yards per game with 114.89 per game. That ranks Jeffery fifth in the country. His spectacular one-handed catches have become the norm rather than the exception as he has given the Gamecocks and outside threat.

Jenkins, who said he's 5-foot-11 but plays like he's 6-foot, has experience covering bigger receivers. Jones and Green are 6-foot-4, as is Jeffery.

Jenkins said the key against tall receivers is to use his quickness. That has helped him to three interceptions this year, including one on the first play of the Gators' win over Georgia on Oct. 30.

"The big thing with all corners — the really good ones, they have good eyes. Sometimes they see too much and they get caught with double moves and they get caught peeking. That's the biggest issue we have with him, because he's so good. And he's improved in that. But we have to keep working on that. Some of those great plays he has, teams will have to try and take advantage of him with double moves. That's really the thing he has to work on."

"The big thing with all corners — the really good ones, they have good eyes," said Florida defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. "Sometimes they see too much and they get caught with double moves and they get caught peeking. That's the biggest issue we have with him, because he's so good. And he's improved in that."

For his part, Jenkins said he's not buying into the hype of this matchup. He'll call his dad as he does before each game, and then go out and try to cover the best receiver on the field.

"It's going to be an exciting matchup," he said. "Two good guys. If I'm on him, going at it, trying to make plays."